It
all depends on what countries want to bargain
Yes,
one of the principles of the WTO system is for countries to lower
their trade barriers and to allow trade to flow more freely. After
all, countries benefit from the increased trade that results from
lower trade barriers.
But
just how low those barriers should go is something member countries
bargain with each other. Their negotiating positions depend on how ready
they feel they are to lower the barriers, and on what they want to
obtain from other members in return. One country’s commitments become
another country’s rights, and vice versa.
The
WTO’s role is to provide the forum for negotiating liberalization. It
also provides the rules for how liberalization can take place.
The
rules written into the agreements allow barriers to be lowered gradually
so that domestic producers can adjust.
They
have special provisions that take into account the situations that
developing countries face. They also spell out when and how governments
can protect their domestic producers, for example from imports that are
considered to have unfairly low prices because of subsidies or
“dumping”. Here, the objective is fair trade.
Just
as important as freer trade — perhaps more important — are other
principles of the WTO system. For example: non-discrimination, and
making sure the conditions for trade are stable, predictable and
transparent.
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